Galax city, Virginia
USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 1% of Galax city's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 9%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 75% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1967.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, October 13, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Galax city
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 8.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 70.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.4% |
| Urban land, not rated | 6.9% |
| Mapped soil | 5,281 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Glenelg | 26% | 0% |
| Hayesville | 10% | 0% |
| Manor | 9% | n/a |
| Porters | 7% | n/a |
| Myersville | 7% | n/a |
| Tate | 6% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 34.51 in, 13.17 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 47.68 in.
USDA rates 71% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
With shrink-swell clay on 1% and a shallow water table on 9% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Galax city; conditions still vary lot by lot.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 34 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 33 weeks, most recently on the July 28, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Galax city since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 47.68 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.51 in (-13.17) |
| 2025 | 40.72 in (-6.96) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2020: 70.99 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 23.45 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MT AIRY 2 W (19 mi away) | 13.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,214 |
| Median year built | 1967 |
| Built before 1980 | 75% |
| Built 2000 or later | 9% |
| Owner-occupied | 56% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $141,300 |
| Single-family detached | 72% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll County, VA | 11 mi | 1% | 5% |
| Grayson County, VA | 17 mi | 1% | 6% |
| Alleghany County, NC | 17 mi | 0% | 5% |
| Wythe County, VA | 19 mi | 6% | 8% |
| Surry County, NC | 21 mi | under 1% | 4% |
| Pulaski County, VA | 30 mi | 19% | 6% |
| Bland County, VA | 34 mi | 3% | 11% |
| Wilkes County, NC | 35 mi | 0% | 6% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status